The Difficulties of Piracy/Piracy Tactics

[child of Thor]

no ships yet - just small yachts and the like upto about 36 feet long, in various locations from the English Channel to papua new guinea in the Pacific.
The more traditional and less high tech the better - i like wood underfoot. One day i hope to have a go at crewing on one of those old tall ships, or even on one of the replica viking longboats <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate2.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="pirate2.gif" />

But mostly i'm a landlubber and not a great swimmer, so i'm happy+busy being land locked at present. I'll go check out that book you mentioned. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="cheers.gif" />:

 

[DeCuervo]

He's rebelling against being true to form! <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

Pure economics was the reason, I think, for most `mariner-turned`-pirates to begin operating outside the law. Desperate times call for desperate measures...

Absolutely true. I myself would be more of a gentleman pirate. Why die for a treasure? You can't spend it if you're planted 6 feet under. The most succesful pirates were ones who had a head for calculated risks and such. Look at the list of the ones who grew old with the majority of their treasure intact (albeit a small list). Plus the simple fact of chivalry on the high seas has been thoroughly ingrained in me through Erroyl Flynn, damn him and Hollywood for that gross misrepresentation of fact. But why kill them when you can simply drop them off in the closest neutral port or have them join your crew (ie the thought process in The Count Of Monte Cristo). Just works better all around that you leave at least someone alive if to do nothing else than tell of your exploits. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

 

[DeCuervo]

On tactics remember how the English devastated the Spanish Armada?

Fleets generally line up like so - - - - - - (spanish fleet)
- - - - - - (english fleet)
and broadside the crap out of each other.

Well the English did a little tricky manuevering that turned the tides to make the entire Spanish fleet line up as normal while they (the English) went in between the Spanish ships which ended up looking something like this:
- / - / - / - / -/ -
and blasted the crap out of the Spanish and won the day.
The Spanish could not use their broadside cannons to stave off the English fleet because the English fleet was made of of lighter/faster ships. (Although the English took some loses getting into position).

But if a group of pirates (who generally sail lighter , faster, and less well armed ships) could replicate this they could easily devastate a larger enemy force by using the higher speed and shallower draft of their ships. Just a thought.

 

[JORiis]

In real life the number one is surprise. You want the enemy to be scared and doubtfull of success. So real pirates would hide in shallow water, the mast of their sloop down, wait untill the right moment and spring their trap. Then show a will to attack and is necessary win, howl and make noice. Violins, drums and other instruments where important. The key is to have a better morale. If the other ship looks battleready and orderly you give up and withdraw.
Gamewise I just use the ordinary tactics, gain superior speed, use the terrain and their weak points, ex. galleons turn slowly. Then you pepper them till surrender. Pirates the original it was fun to get first blood and board, gaining the morale advantage. And I sometimes does so in PotC, build version. Still the old morale from pirates count, if they seem to have dammaged me more, then I won´t. Except for the desperate, oh no we are sinking let board them now, fights.
Having the weather gauge, being closer to the wind. In most games it is negliable since the AI isn´t very good a ships tactics, but generally it hold numerous advantages. The other ship takes longer approaching you than you to it, this lets you decide the time to strike. Also you steal the wind, the ship in front will sail slower if you are running parallel. This makes pursuit easier, you have the greater speed against an equal vessel, if you have the right wind. This in essence gives you the initiative. Some fights where simply called of by the superior force if they didn´t have this initiative.
Against smart human players the weather gauge would be number one in my book.